Beans means less salt as Heinz hears the official health message &Acirc;

Heinz is to slash the salt content of its baked beans in response to increasing concern over the levels of the mineral in processed food.

Heinz is to slash the salt content of its baked beans in response to increasing concern over the levels of the mineral in processed food.

It will begin cutting the salt in its baked beans this summer and plans to reduce levels by 15 per cent across the rest of its range in the following year. The move will take the salt content of its products below the government's 0.875 per cent target.

The company began cutting salt and sugar from its products in the 1980s. A Heinz spokesman said the company's slogan would be changed to "Good Food Every Day", to highlight the nutritional importance of eating less salt."This is a continuation of the work that Heinz has been involved in to improve the nutritional balance of its products," he said.

The nation's daily salt intake remains an area of concern for health campaigners, who hope the decision by Heinz will lead other companies to follow suit. The Food Standards Agency said that the average daily salt intake should be reduced from 9.5g, about two teaspoonfuls, to less than 6g.

Penelope Gilbert, from the charity Consensus Action on Salt and Health, welcomed the move by Heinz."We've known all along that baked beans are very salty. Heinz has done something about it but too many others haven't," she said.